Bürgel Manor

The origins of Haus Bürgel date back to Roman times, when it was likely built as a fort during the reign of Emperor Constantine I (306–337 AD) or at the latest under Emperor Valentinian (364–375 AD). It was originally situated on the left bank of the Rhine and was a structure measuring 64 by 64 meters with walls up to 2.30 meters thick, surrounded by twelve towers and a double moat. Coin finds from the 1st century AD and an ancient burial ground with over 70 graves suggest an earlier Roman presence, possibly as a smaller camp or observation post. Matron stones and a gold coin confirm its use for border security until the collapse of the Roman province on the Lower Rhine in the early 5th century. After a period without written records, Haus Bürgel is mentioned at the end of the 1st millennium as a royal estate of the Ottonians and was transferred to Archbishop Heribert of Cologne in 1002.